Here’s how Rutgers snagged Shawn Bowman from the transfer portal, and how the TE can help

Rutgers has added various tools for quarterback Gavin Wimsatt heading into his third year at the Piscataway-based school — the latest being a 6-foot-5, 265-pound tight end from the University of Maine, who was ranked the third-best blocking pass-catcher in all of FCS football by Pro Football Focus heading into the summer. Now a Scarlet Knight after pledging to Greg Schiano during his exit interview on Sunday, Shawn Bowman caught 31 passes for 377 receiving yards and five touchdowns while gaining 12.2 yards per reception in 2022 for the Black Bears, and will see if he can duplicate, if not surpass those numbers on a much bigger stage. One way that offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca can utilize Bowman is in a two-tight end package — or 12 personnel — which could cause matchup problems for teams trying to cover multiple big, tall players with skill. Twelve personnel indicates that there is one running back, two tight ends, and two receivers on the field at one time, which lends the offense flexibility in the run and pass game. Moving two tight ends around the formation can also help set the strength of the defense and overload one side of the field — especially with quick shifts or motions. And Rutgers, which struggled to move the football last fall despite having a strong defense, can use any offensive edge it can muster. Rutgers will provide the stage and the vehicle for Bowman’s childhood dreams to play out after showing how it can prep the senior, who has two years of college football eligibility, for the NFL. “It was the resources they have there for athletes to maximize their potential in every single aspect. From football, to weight training, recovery, nutritional, even sleeping at night,” Bowman told NJ Advance Media on Sunday. “They have so many tools there that are solely for making sure the players are the best versions of themselves. And with my goal longterm being to have a successful career in the NFL, Rutgers will teach me how to be a professional before I even get there.” Bowman, who was joined on an official visit to Rutgers last weekend by his mother and sister, bought into Rutgers’ culture which Greg Schiano has cultivated in Piscataway throughout his two timelines on campus. “You can see how much the players interact with each other, coaches and staff members as well. It’s a place that is all about family and trust and that’s something I want to be apart of,” Bowman said. Ultimately, there are levels to college football, and there is no better way to show that you can play on Sundays than to produce at a Power Five school against others projected to do the same thing. ”It came down to this being the Big Ten,” Bowman said. “If I want to play in the NFL, I need to prove it to scouts that I can compete and dominate in one the best conferences in the country, and I truly believe that I will be able to do so at Rutgers.”